The BioWare Blog has an update from BioWare Montreal on the next installment in the Mass Effect series of action/RPGs, announcing their studio is taking the helm of the next game. Word is they will be working with the Edmonton studio and the Frostbite 2 engine from the Battlefield series to make and installment that's "respectful of the heritage" of the series:

To ensure a proper and effective transition, we’ll continue to be supported by the Edmonton studio through the game’s development, working with and learning from them on some critical initiatives. On top of that, Casey remains the Executive Producer, but he will have a Project Director under him, working in Montreal, leading our development team and making day-to-day decisions for the game. We all care very much about Mass Effect and make our decisions based on what’s best for the game.

There is really not much I can tell you about the game right now, except that it will be built with the amazing technology of Frostbite as its foundation, enhanced by many of the systems that the Dragon Age III team has already spent a lot of time building.

The other thing I can tell you is that, while it will be very respectful of the heritage built over the course of the first three games, with the original trilogy now concluded and the switch over to a new engine, we are exploring new directions, both on the gameplay and story fronts. You can still expect the pillars the franchise is known for to be fully intact though, including diverse alien races, a huge galaxy to explore, and of course rich, cinematic storytelling.

The first ME game to have multiplayer was also the first ME game that I didn't replay the single player campaign. This fact, combined with other examples of franchise that I feel have become diluted by forcing multiplayer into them, is why I feel the way I do about it. Also, as I said, the market isn't exactly in need of more multiplayer shooters.

The idea of a separate specifically multiplayer game at a cheaper price is a good one however. My gut is telling me that a ME MMO is in the works anyway. We just haven't heard about it because the SWTOR fiasco is forcing them to wait for a better announcement window.

Verno wrote on Nov 13, 2012, 13:02:Better yet, just make a separate ME MP game which is really how it should be handled - $20, supported by their shitty grindfest booster packs and DLC. Totally divorced from the SP stuff. It could sink or swim on its own merits.

The worrisome thing about splitting the two is EA just deciding that the MP version will make more money, and thus that'd be the ONLY one they make. Like I said, I'm quite looking forward to more Mass Effect.

Honestly, horde mode MP is fairly prevalent and the ME implementation of it wasn't anything special or original. MP design absolutely does take away from SP development, its well supported by dev comments and you can even see it in some of the map designs in ME3 specifically. I'm with Jivaro, I'd rather they focus on making a great SP game with the most content possible. I can get my MP fix elsewhere.

Better yet, just make a separate ME MP game which is really how it should be handled - $20, supported by their shitty grindfest booster packs and DLC. Totally divorced from the SP stuff. It could sink or swim on its own merits.

Jivaro wrote on Nov 13, 2012, 12:14:I looked at it as a kind of test, to see if people were interested enough in multiplayer with the franchise to make it a significant part of whatever the next game is going to be and if the DLC business model was viable financially. For that reason, I didn't play it. I didn't want my "vote" to be "yes, spend time and money on multiplayer". I don't want multiplayer with this franchise. If I want a multiplayer shooter there are quite a few quality games to choose from. Quality single player games like the Mass Effect series are much more rare.

With that being said, I wouldn't ever bitch about the DLC or it's existence. It was free and I don't expect everyone to feel the same way I do about multiplayer. I can't comment to it's quality obviously, I wouldn't know since I didn't play it, but calling it "scummy" as if it's some kind of scam is kind of weird when it is free.

edit: item stuff? You could pay to get the items instead of playing to earn them...I think...is that what you mean?

But if the MP is actually good (I thought it was, obviously YMMV) and it doesn't detract too much from the SP (I think the ending rush might have been influenced by the MP add-on. On the flipside, it was a different studio that made it, so maybe not), why wouldn't you want it? Like in ME3, you don't have to play it, but I thought it actually added quite a bit of value to the game. (In fact, I've played the MP far far FAR more than I played the SP. At least at the end of the MP I got a "mission succesful!" screen rather than "Hey, Shepard's a legend now! Buy more DLC!" bullshit.)

With that being said, I wouldn't ever bitch about the DLC or it's existence. It was free and I don't expect everyone to feel the same way I do about multiplayer. I can't comment to it's quality obviously, I wouldn't know since I didn't play it, but calling it "scummy" as if it's some kind of scam is kind of weird when it is free

Argggh I was referring to the buyable item packs, pretend I didn't say DLC as I didn't know what else to call it. They were an excuse for a shitty grind to get people to buy the packs, you even got duplicate item drops without any trading feature it was hilarious.

The free DLC was mostly just small map packs so while I wouldn't bitch about it, I wouldn't exactly praise it either. Last time I played they still hadn't fixed up the netcode or patched in any different modes or etc.

Oooh, okay. Yeah the packs were stupid, but at least you didn't HAVE to buy them. If there are some tards who wave their CC around and who like to buy them, hey *shrug*, I got more free DLC out of it.

They did actually add some different stuff in the last DLC. Challenge maps and a new faction. But yeah, the same bugs are still in there from day one, basically, and all Bioware does is change the maps to try to combat farming.

I think that system is great.. why play for unlocks, when you can play for the chance to buy lottery that may or may not give you unlocks (sarcasm) though I got several unique weapons on my first few packs among them the Krogan assault shotgun with accuracy and damage mod, it makes it a 1 shot sniper rifle for most enemies ,p) Except you don't have to stand still and actually aim to hit something.

It got so crazy I could solo Silver level challenges unless I got very unlucky with the missions (like assassinate target on wave 10)

With that being said, I wouldn't ever bitch about the DLC or it's existence. It was free and I don't expect everyone to feel the same way I do about multiplayer. I can't comment to it's quality obviously, I wouldn't know since I didn't play it, but calling it "scummy" as if it's some kind of scam is kind of weird when it is free

Argggh I was referring to the buyable item packs, pretend I didn't say DLC as I didn't know what else to call it. They were an excuse for a shitty grind to get people to buy the packs, you even got duplicate item drops without any trading feature it was hilarious.

The free DLC was mostly just small map packs so while I wouldn't bitch about it, I wouldn't exactly praise it either. Last time I played they still hadn't fixed up the netcode or patched in any different modes or etc.

As for the MP, plenty of people played it. I've played it extensively for months, but when GW2 came out I finally stopped. I tried going back a few weeks after and gave up after 10 minutes of trying to get a match going.

On the weekends during the events sure but I had a lot of problems finding games during the week. The MP ended up boring me to tears due its very limited scope and lack of variety so I didn't really care though. Their implementation of buyable DLC was borderline scummy shit too but that's a different rant entirely.

I never had a problem finding games during the week, so not really sure what you were doing, to be honest...

And scummy? It's FREE DLC! As in: It costs NO money. And for that no money, they gave us more maps, more classes, more weapons and eventually (bit too late, but okay) another enemy faction to fight. You never had to spend a dime to get any of it. I never did, and I unlocked everything (apart from the last DLC, which I think I've yet to even download.)

Creston

I looked at it as a kind of test, to see if people were interested enough in multiplayer with the franchise to make it a significant part of whatever the next game is going to be and if the DLC business model was viable financially. For that reason, I didn't play it. I didn't want my "vote" to be "yes, spend time and money on multiplayer". I don't want multiplayer with this franchise. If I want a multiplayer shooter there are quite a few quality games to choose from. Quality single player games like the Mass Effect series are much more rare.

With that being said, I wouldn't ever bitch about the DLC or it's existence. It was free and I don't expect everyone to feel the same way I do about multiplayer. I can't comment to it's quality obviously, I wouldn't know since I didn't play it, but calling it "scummy" as if it's some kind of scam is kind of weird when it is free.

edit: item stuff? You could pay to get the items instead of playing to earn them...I think...is that what you mean?

Creston wrote on Nov 13, 2012, 11:55:I never had a problem finding games during the week, so not really sure what you were doing, to be honest...

Sitting there waiting for a game, like I said. Weekends were significantly more populated than weekday games due to all of the promotions. I remember having problems several times and I'm sure that situation would only be worse today as the MP doesn't have a lot of depth/replay value IMHO. It's Horde mode Lite. I had fun with it for a bit but there just wasn't much to sink your teeth into outside of grinding.

And scummy? It's FREE DLC! As in: It costs NO money. And for that no money, they gave us more maps, more classes, more weapons and eventually (bit too late, but okay) another enemy faction to fight. You never had to spend a dime to get any of it. I never did, and I unlocked everything (apart from the last DLC, which I think I've yet to even download.)

As for the MP, plenty of people played it. I've played it extensively for months, but when GW2 came out I finally stopped. I tried going back a few weeks after and gave up after 10 minutes of trying to get a match going.

On the weekends during the events sure but I had a lot of problems finding games during the week. The MP ended up boring me to tears due its very limited scope and lack of variety so I didn't really care though. Their implementation of buyable DLC was borderline scummy shit too but that's a different rant entirely.

I never had a problem finding games during the week, so not really sure what you were doing, to be honest...

And scummy? It's FREE DLC! As in: It costs NO money. And for that no money, they gave us more maps, more classes, more weapons and eventually (bit too late, but okay) another enemy faction to fight. You never had to spend a dime to get any of it. I never did, and I unlocked everything (apart from the last DLC, which I think I've yet to even download.)

As for the MP, plenty of people played it. I've played it extensively for months, but when GW2 came out I finally stopped. I tried going back a few weeks after and gave up after 10 minutes of trying to get a match going.

On the weekends during the events sure but I had a lot of problems finding games during the week. The MP ended up boring me to tears due its very limited scope and lack of variety so I didn't really care though. Their implementation of buyable DLC was borderline scummy shit too but that's a different rant entirely.

Which the Mass Effect series didn't do. Not even a little bit. Shepard had no prophecy, no special birthright, no magical powers above anyone else's.

Weeelll... they do actually lay the thematic stuff on pretty thick, if you ask me. Shepard wasn't special from birth, and they fall short of actually calling him the Second Coming, but they do have quite a few nudges in that direction. Though knowing Bioware's writers, that might have actually all been completely incidental.

QFT. I am so sick of the UE3 engine. Every game looks and feels identical because it is so prevalent.

On topic: I did a double take on the ME4. Really? ME4? I guess I should never have doubted it. But I do wonder what exactly will it be about? How can you even call it Mass Effect since the entire mass effect station network exploded and half the characters are dead? PvP only is possible, but does anyone think ME3 multiplayer was any good? Nobody I know played it past the 'oh this is new' stage. An ME game not about the games universe with a deep RP story (the ending of ME3 not withstanding) is almost unthinkable to me.

I thought I'd never see Bioware jump the shark. They are one game away from going on my blacklist, along with Blizzard.

Note that they retconned the gate networks exploding. They are now just damaged, and the extended cut shows them being repaired. Also, they have quite often said that any new games would not be set AFTER the events of ME3 (as originally they had just raped the entire universe), and there's plenty of timelines to play with in follow up games. They can set it as a "what also happened" game set during the original 3, or they can go like 2000 years in the past and show us the Rachni wars. (which still gets my vote. Let me be a Krogan commando who goes to wipe out the Rachni on their homeworld.)

As for the MP, plenty of people played it. I've played it extensively for months, but when GW2 came out I finally stopped. I tried going back a few weeks after and gave up after 10 minutes of trying to get a match going.

Pete wrote on Nov 12, 2012, 22:10:Worth it if you find it cheap. Great game with a shitty ending.

What ever happened to them patching the ending?

Before I played it I thought the reaction was ridiculous but wow, they really did stuff that up so badly.

They didn't change the main "pick a color" part of the ending, but I think they added a few lines to try and clarify it. Most of the Extended Cut changes were to the end cinematic to fix some minor issues people pointed out and, in my opinion, retcon out the "everything is screwed" state they left the universe in with the original ending. Joker doesn't look back (since he can't see anything) when flying away from the blast, the Normandy is barely damaged when it lands on the jungle planet, instead of nearly destroyed, so it can take off again, the Mass Relays aren't blown up, they are just "damaged," etc.

The one big thing they did with the Extended Cut was actually make the three endings different (and they created a fourth ending, the option to tell the Reapers to go fuck themselves, which sadly isn't much of an ending since it just ends with a 20 sec cutscene of Liara saying the Reapers wiped us all out, but at least it's in there.)

In the original ending, all three "choices" were the same. Literally the only difference was that the color of the explosion changed. (Bioware bitched about that, saying that is was stupid of people to categorize the endings as "Red, Blue and Green", and then it was discovered that that's actually how the endings are classified by Bioware themselves, as they are called something like red_ending.bik green_ending.bik and blue_ending.bik in the movies folder.)

After the Extended Cut, there were at least three completely different voice overs for the three endings, and all three of them were pretty good.

But it still doesn't take away the fact that you get shoehorned into picking one of three endings, and that the Destroy ending is still considered "bad" by the game itself. (as evidenced by the fact that it wipes out the Geth, wipes out EDI, and is heavily patronized by the startroll who keeps hammering that that ending "Will not change anything!")

Yeah, ME1 was a gem.It seems people tends to praise ME2 to criticize ME3 but I really didn't like the second one. Story wise it was really poorly written; nothing but a patchwork of bunch of flashy cut scenes. No substances whatsoever.

It focused around recruiting your team, but even that was done pretty half-assed.All new characters were so shallow and had one dimensional-personalities. It was the cheapest attempt to make characters "unique" , (outside of JRPG).To make matters worse, they couldn't even utilize those "unique" characters properly in the main story. Did you notice that your squad mates, outside of their personal mission, just follows you around like your personal guard drones and never say a word, even in some situations that seemingly begs for their reactions? That bothered me a lot, especially in games like Mass Effect.

Pete wrote on Nov 12, 2012, 22:10:Worth it if you find it cheap. Great game with a shitty ending.

What ever happened to them patching the ending?

Before I played it I thought the reaction was ridiculous but wow, they really did stuff that up so badly.

They didn't change the main "pick a color" part of the ending, but I think they added a few lines to try and clarify it. Most of the Extended Cut changes were to the end cinematic to fix some minor issues people pointed out and, in my opinion, retcon out the "everything is screwed" state they left the universe in with the original ending. Joker doesn't look back (since he can't see anything) when flying away from the blast, the Normandy is barely damaged when it lands on the jungle planet, instead of nearly destroyed, so it can take off again, the Mass Relays aren't blown up, they are just "damaged," etc.

But if you want to consider previous MEs "shooters", fine, but that doesn't make the other argument any more correct. They won't be "turning" ME4 into any more of a shooter than ME2/3 were.

If they did, they'd have to legally change the name to Gears of War: The Shepard Missions.

I agree with what that guy said: Mass Effect was damn flawed but on the right track toward perfection. ME2 completely derailed it.

Yeah I loved ME, warts and all. Great world building, that game really felt like they had built a convincing universe. It was almost like playing through a scifi movie. The gameplay had problems but a lot of it was just poor balance and variety.

ME2 veered way too far into shooter territory. The thing about the ME games is that they are very mediocre cover shooters. The one button gameplay has little depth and the controls are often infuriating as a result (accidentally hugging cover or doing unintended actions). Making ME more of a shooter is doing the series a disservice IMHO.